© National Strength and Conditioning Association

Volume 27, Number 3, pages 30–38

Keywords: squash; resistance training; weight training; periodiza-

tion; sport specific

Resistance Training Considerations

for the Sport of Squash
Jason Bennie, Con Hrysomallis, PhD
Victoria University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

mass, reduce flexibility, and increase tion of the body around the court,
summary stress on the joints; and the notion that which involves multidirectional run-
there is limited transfer between tradi- ning at various speeds, lunging in multi-
This article presents a periodized re- tional weight-training exercises and ple directions to reach balls, and explo-
squash performance (2, 3, 19). Resis- sive, sideways jumping (1).
sistance-training program for the tance training has not been perceived as
sport of squash. The program incor- an important form of training. As such, Participation in the sport requires pre-
it has been neglected in programs, even dominantly power- and strength-based
porates functional resistance-train- at the elite level (2, 3, 14, 19, 20). activities. Therefore, the muscular and
metabolic endurance needs are probably
ing exercises that take into consid- The aim of this article is to present a peri- more efficiently enhanced by actual
eration the movement patterns and odized, resistance-training program for squash play and training. As a result, it
the sport of squash. The program will in- was decided not to prescribe high vol-
specific demands of the sport. corporate functional resistance-training umes and repetitions of weight exercises
exercises that take into consideration the that are typically associated with muscu-
movement patterns and specific demands lar endurance. This approach has also
he sport of squash is popular of the sport. A progressively overloaded, been used in other sports such as swim-

T throughout the world, with 15

million players in 149 nations
competing regularly. In the United
safe, functional resistance-training pro-
gram will be presented for coaches and
players to consider incorporating in their
ming (12). Consequently, the exercises
chosen in this program will be primarily
power and strength based. This will in-
States, the U.S. National Squash Federa- training regimes. volve moderate-to-heavy loads with
tion has 8,000 members, but there are short-duration activities conducted at
over 500,000 recreational players na- Factors for Exercise Selection slow-to-moderate speeds (excluding the
tionally (16). Participants in squash re- Participation in squash play requires plyometric exercises), with moderate-
quire proficiency in an array of parame- total body movements. Consideration to-long recovery intervals.
ters, such as aerobic and anaerobic for exercise selection is based on move-
capacities, local muscular endurance, ment patterns, muscle groups used, Progressive Overload
strength, power, flexibility, speed, and types of contraction, motor patterns, During this program, exercise specifici-
agility (11). There is presently little lit- and speed of motion. The trunk acts dy- ty, loads, and volumes will be progres-
erature regarding resistance-training namically by generating power through sively overloaded in an attempt to gain
programs for the sport. The following rotation and acts statically to provide optimal results for the athlete. Follow-
reasons have been proposed: weight stability for the limbs to work efficient- ing the overload, there will be a recovery
training will produce excess muscle ly. The lower limbs enable the locomo- period.

30 June 2005 • Strength and Conditioning Journal

When designing programs, there is transfer between the weight room and base and anatomical adaptations have
considerable difficulty in determining squash play. In theory, the more simi- occurred.
the optimal amount of progressive lar the training activity to the sport,
overload. Indeed, setting training loads the greater the likelihood of a positive Core Conditioning and
for athletes is considered one of the carryover to performance (17). Plyometric Training
most challenging tasks to confront Core muscles play an important role in
coaches across all sports. This is partly Challenging issues arose when design- producing powerful, efficient squash
because there is little to no data avail- ing the exercise program. In particu- strokes. These muscles provide stability
able that specify the exact loads needed. lar, upper-body exercises make it dif- and a dynamic platform to transfer the
Also, there is significant individual ficult to adopt the concept of motions of the upper and lower body.
variability among athletes in responses specificity. For example, exercises— Although there is no direct evidence,
to training (10). Although one particu- such as dumbbell flys performed on a core conditioning is suggested to result
lar training load may be considered op- bench or medicine ball (MB), chest in greater force production and reduced
timal for one athlete, other athletes passes on a stability ball—do not re- risk of injury (13). If inadequate
may be overtrained or, conversely, un- flect the specific demands of a squash strength levels exist in the abdominal
dertrained. This has important impli- stroke to the same extent as, for exam- and lower-back muscles, then the trans-
cations for team or squad training, as ple, using a weighted squash racket. fer of momentum initiated from the
setting one training load may cause a The issue of using weighted imple- lower body through the midsection to
range of responses among members. ments to increase specificity was ex- the upper body during the squash swing
Therefore, care must be taken when plored. For example, a standing may become less efficient (19). The ex-
setting training loads. The authors rec- dumbbell exercise that mimics the ercises chosen in this program reflect the
ommend individualized programs and squash stroke was considered. Also, needs of squash play, and as a whole,
supervision of training sessions, cou- exercises using heavier rackets were they are conducted in either a standing
pled with athlete ratings of the intensi- considered. Exercises such as these are or lunging position and involve some
ty of the session (e.g. 1 to 10) and regu- controversial. It is believed that they form of truck rotation. Medicine balls
lar review and revision of the programs. can result in altering the technique of and cable pulleys are used to add speci-
the athlete (17). The lack of research ficity to the exercises.
Rest and Recovery and other safety concerns are addi-
The strength and conditioning specialist tional reasons to exclude such exercis- Squash is a demanding sport that re-
and the coach should be aware of an ath- es, and no research exploring the ef- quires high degrees of coordination,
lete’s exercise tolerance and recovery ca- fects of weighted implements on speed, agility, and power. Therefore,
pacity to ensure that injury or overtrain- squash performance could be located. plyometric exercises have obvious
ing does not occur. In an attempt to Indeed, from research conducted on benefits and may transfer to, and en-
optimize training results, a 4-week load- other sports, such as baseball (15), hance, squash play. Behm (4) sug-
ing cycle will usually be applied. The there is no conclusive proof that gests that these exercises can be used
first week will involve a low load; the weighted-implement training is effec- to improve multidirectional, court
second week, a moderate load; the third tive. The increased risk of injury to mobility; flexibility; and racket-head
week, a high load; and the fourth week the shoulder region should also be speed.
will involve unloading (low-to-moder- considered because exercises such as
ate load). these might produce unwanted stress Periodization of Program
on this already heavily used region. The potential benefits of periodiza-
This method of loading is commonly tion include (a) enabling a safe and
used in program design and provides for The lower-body and core exercises are optimal progressive overload of the
an overload stimulus, followed by a re- considered specific for the sport of program, (b) attenuating plateaus in
covery phase. The goal of such a loading squash. The exercises mimic the de- performance, (c) decreasing risk of in-
pattern is to facilitate adequate recovery mands of each body section respective- jury, and (d) adding variety to the
before moving on to the next, increas- ly (e.g., multidirectional lunging with training (5). Overall, the aim of peri-
ingly challenging phase. varying heights and standing, rotation- odization is to bring the athlete to
al exercises performed with cable pul- peak performance during the competi-
Specificity leys and MBs). The exercises pre- tive season.
The exercises in this program have scribed will follow a continuum from
been designed to mimic the demands basic to specific, creating exercises that The process of dividing strength and
of squash, thus enabling optimal resemble squash play after strength conditioning program up into phases is

June 2005 • Strength and Conditioning Journal 31

 Table 1
Phase 1 of Periodized Program

Instructions Loading pattern Exercises Description

Rest: 1 min between sets; Week 1 1. Lunge 1. Lunging forward with

2–3 min between circuits. Mon, Fri 2. Chest press DB by side.
No. of circuits: 2 3. Squat 2. DB on flat bench.
Speed of execution: slow Reps: 10–12 4. Prone row 3. Barbell (BB) in squat rack.
and controlled. 5. Leg press 4. DB on flat bench.
Week 2 6. One-arm row 5. DL on a 45° machine.
Resistance circuit

Perform exercises 7 and 9 Mon, Wed, Fri 7. Internal shoulder 6. DB with knee and hand in
with light loads. No. of circuits: 3 rotation (light load) contact with bench.
Reps: 10–12 8. Calf raise 7. Cable pulley.
9. External shoulder 8. Standing BB.
Week 3 rotation (light load) 9. Cable pulley.
Mon, Wed, Fri
No. of circuits: 4
Reps: 10–12

Week 4
Mon, Fri
No. of circuits: 2
Reps: 10–12
3 sets of 15 reps for 1. Back hyperextensions 1. Using a standard Roman chair,
exercises 1, 2, and 4. 2. MB side throws flex downward from the waist,
3. Abdominal crunch using arch upward past parallel.
3 sets, maximum reps for an SB 2. Standing, swing the MB to the
exercise 3. 4. DB side bend side of the body, forcefully
Core exercises

release MB against the wall.

Catch MB on the return, and
repeat the movement.
3. On SB, perform the exercise
through the full range of
motion.
4. Standing with DB in right hand.
Bend sideways until DB reaches
knee line. Repeat left side.

Note: MB = medicine ball, SB = stability ball, DB = dumbbell, DL = double leg.

commonly used to establish a concise (5, 8, 18), plyometric (7), and core (13) • Plyometric exercises: conducted in
framework for training progression. exercises are designed with reference to Phases 2, 3, and 4 only.
This program has been divided up into 5 material that appears in the literature. • Resistance exercises.
phases: • Core component.
Training Structure
• Phase 1: adaptation. It is assumed that an athlete partaking in Phase 1: Adaptation
• Phase 2: strength training. this program has had some experience in During this phase, the athletes are
• Phase 3: specific training. weight training. The following sequence subjected to a low-intensity squash
• Phase 4: complex training. will generally be adopted where applica- training regime. The focus is on (a)
• Phase 5: maintenance. ble: acquiring squash-specific skills (cor-
recting or developing new tech-
The exercises, training parameters, load- • Warm-up: 8–10 minutes of low-in- niques), (b) developing a base level of
ing patterns, and rationales for each tensity, aerobic-based warm-up with strength, flexibility, and aerobic and
phase are outlined below. The resistance light stretching. anaerobic endurance, and (c) goal set-

32 June 2005 • Strength and Conditioning Journal

 Table 2
Phase 2 of Periodized Program

Instructions Loading pattern Exercises Description

Rest: 2 min between sets. Week 1, Mon, Fri 1. Drop from box 1. Drop from box and “freeze.”
No. of circuits: 2; Reps: 10 2. DL cone hop 2. Jumping laterally over cones.
Perform exercises on a 3. Split jump squats 3. Lunge position, jump explosive-
Plyometric circuit

yielding surface (e.g., a Week 2, Mon, Fri 4. MB chest pass ly upward; change legs.
rubber or suspended floor). No. of circuits: 3; Reps: 10 4. Lying on floor. MB dropped
toward chest, caught, and
Coach and athlete must Week 3, Mon, Fri pushed explosively upward.
select box heights, cone No. of circuits: 4; Reps: 12
distances, and MB weights
that are challenging but Week 4, Mon, Fri
still allow for proper, safe No. of circuits: 2; Reps: 10
technique.

Rest: 1–2 min between sets. Week 1, Mon, Fri 1. Lunge 1. Traveling with DB by side.
No. of circuits: 3; Reps: 8–10 2. Lunge onto box 2. DB by side; front foot fixed on
Resistance exercises

Speed of execution: 3. DB chest fly box; lunge forward.

moderate. Week 2, Mon, Wed, Fri 4. DB prone fly 3. Flat or incline bench.
No. of circuits: 4; Reps: 8–10 5. Leg Press 4. Flat or incline bench.
6. Arabesque one-arm row 5. SL on a 45° machine.
Week 3, Mon, Wed, Fri 6. DB with arm fixed on bench.
No. of circuits: 5; Reps: 8–10

Week 4, Mon, Wed

No. of circuits: 2; Reps: 8–10

3 sets, 15–20 reps. 1. Back hyperextensions 1. Same exercise as in phase 1,

2. MB side throw (lunge but on SB.
position) 2. Same exercise as in phase 1,
Core exercises

3. Cable wood chopper but hold the lunge position.

4. Reverse wood chopper 3. Pull the cable pulley diagonally
across the body from high to
low.
4. Pull the cable pulley diagonally
across the body from low to
high.

Note: MB = medicine ball, DL = double leg, DB = dumbbell, SL = single leg.

ting (identifying tournaments to peak ject them to excessive loads before they more explosive and specific exercises in
for). are properly conditioned (6). Plyomet- the future. Traditional load assignments
ric exercises are not prescribed during use a percentage of 1 repetition maximum
This phase occurs directly after the off- this phase. (1RM) or RMs (6, 8). However, these
season. The goal is to progressively methods many not be suitable for many of
adapt the various body structures to the The resistance exercises in Table 1 are lim- the exercises in this program because of
demands of weight training. The process ited in technical demand and specificity the number of exercises executed with sin-
of performing circuits that alternate be- but provide the athlete with an overall gle limbs, with weight lifted above the
tween lower- and upper-body parts is conditioning of the core section. The pur- head or in front of the body, and with
prescribed to allow recovery. A repeti- pose of the exercises chosen is to target multidirectional lunges. Exercises such as
tion range of 10–12 has been imple- similar muscle groups and the gross these could be unsafe to perform with
mented to moderately target strength movements used for squash. This phase near-maximal loads because that might
and power gains in athletes but not sub- should be viewed as a building process for increase the risk of injury. As such, the

June 2005 • Strength and Conditioning Journal 33

 Table 3
Phase 3 of Periodized Program

Instructions Loading pattern Exercises Description

Same as phase 2. Week 1, Tue, Fri 1. Drop to lunge 1. Drop from box; land and “freeze”
No. of circuits: 3; Reps: 8–10 2. SL cone hop in lunge position.
3. Cycled split squat 2. Same exercise as in phase 2
Week 2, Tue, Fri 4. DL, multidirectional hop but SL.
Plyometric circuit

No. of circuits: 4; Reps: 8–10 5. MB chest pass 3. Jump explosively upward from
right to left leg.
Week 3, Tue, Fri 4. Hurdles placed on a hexagon;
No. of circuits: 4; Reps: 8–10 stand in center; jump in direc-
tion randomly selected by
Week 4, Tues, Fri coach; return to center. Repeat
No. of circuits: 2; Reps: 8–10 until all points of hexagon are
covered.
5. Same exercise as in phase 2
but lying on SB
Rest: 1–2 min between sets Week 1, Tue, Fri 1. Traveling lunge 1. Weight above head.
No. of circuits: 2; Reps: 8–10 2. Lunge onto box 2. Same exercise as in Phase 2 but
Resistance exercises

Speed of excitation: 3. 8-point lunge with weight above head and

moderate. Week 2, Tue, Fri 4. SA chest fly vary box heights.
No. of circuits: 3; Reps: 8–10 5. SA prone fly 3. DB by side. Lunge forward,
For safety purposes, take forward diagonally, backward
care with these exercises. Week 3, Tue, Fri diagonally, and backward;
Select a weight that permits No. of circuits: 4; Reps: 8–10 repeat all with other leg.
safe execution. 4. DB on flat or incline bench.
Week 4, Tues, Fri 5. DB on flat or incline bench.
No. of circuits: 2; Reps: 8–10

3 sets of 15–20 reps for each 1. SB back hyperextensions 1. On SB, twist sideways.
exercise. (twist) 2. Same exercise as in phase 2,
Core exercises

2. MB side throw (vary but throw the MB from different

height of throws) heights.
3. Cable wood chopper 3. Same exercise as in phase 2
(in lunge) but in the lunge position.
4. Reverse wood chopper 4. Same exercise as in phase 2
(in lunge) but in the lunge position.

Note: SL = single leg, DL = double leg, MB = medicine ball, SA = single arm, SB = stability ball, DB = dumbbell.

emphasis should be on correct technique metric exercises and resistance training ness levels, with the predetermined
with challenging loads. is prescribed during this phase. tournaments being of major focus later
in the year. The training emphasis is
Phase 2: Strength Training Also during this phase, athletes begin changed from developing general per-
The purpose of this phase is to increase playing in squash competitions. Al- formance capabilities to enhancing
the specificity of exercises and to in- though on-court performance during squash skills (e.g., increasing the com-
crease the strength base. This is obtained this phase is important at this point, the plexity of on-court drills) and sport-spe-
by increasing the load from the previous majority of high-profile tournaments cific fitness parameters (e.g., specific
phase. The exercises in this phase be- are scheduled for later in the year. speed, agility, and strength training).
come more specific, enhancing the pos- Therefore, off-court training is still con-
sibility that the increased force output sidered a high priority. This permits the The plyometric exercises in Table 2 at-
will transfer to a squash-specific situa- athletes to develop further squash-spe- tempt to mimic squash play. For exam-
tion. A combination of low-level plyo- cific on-court skills and strength and fit- ple, exercise 1 involves practicing stop-

34 June 2005 • Strength and Conditioning Journal

 Table 4
Phase 4 of Periodized Program

Instructions Loading pattern Exercises Description

Session outline Week 1 1. a. Resistance 1a. Weight held in front; rotate

Complex training: resistance and plyometric exercises

Tue, Fri traveling lunge with trunk with every lunge step.
Perform resistance exercise. No. of circuits: 3 rotation. 1b. Drop from box; land in lunge
Reps: 6–8 position, and explode up-
Rest 30 sec. b. Plyometric wards.
Week 2 Jump to lunge with 2a. Same exercise as in phase 3
Perform plyometric exer- Tue, Fri continuous split squat. but with weight above the
cise. No. of circuits: 4 head.
Reps: 6–8 2. a. Resistance 2b. Same exercise as in phase 3
Rest 3–4min. 8-point lunge but with SL.
Week 3 b. Plyometric 3a. Same exercise as in phase 3
Repeat prescribed number Tue, Fri SL, multi-directional but on SB.
of times. No. of circuits: 4 cone hop 3b. Lying on SB; small MB (1 kg)
Reps: 6–8 dropped onto hand in fly
3. a. Resistance position; ball caught, and
Week 4 SA fly on stability ball (SB) pushed back upward
Tue, Fri explosively.
No. of circuits: 2 b. Plyometric
Reps: 6–8 SA MB drop, catch, and
throw

3 sets of 15–20 reps 1. SB back hyperextensions 1. Same exercise as in phase 3

(twist + weight) but done while holding weight.
2. MB side throw (vary 2. Same exercise as in phase 3,
Core exercises

height of throws) but increase the weight of the

3. Cable wood chopper MB.
(in lunge) 3. Same exercise as in phase 2,
4. Reverse wood chopper but increase resistance and vary
(in lunge) the height of the lunge.
4. Same exercise as in phase 2,
but increase resistance and vary
the height of the lunge.

Note: SL = single leg, SA = single arm, MB = medicine ball.

ping suddenly. Exercises 2 and 3 incor- The core conditioning exercises dis- phase. This approach was chosen so the
porate multidirectional jumping. Exer- played in Table 2 are progressions athlete is not subjected to increased
cise 4 involves explosive upper-body from the previous core exercise stress that could arise from excessive
movement. phase. Exercise 1 changes to an un- loads. The emphasis should be on per-
stable environment. Exercise 2 is a forming the prescribed number of repe-
The resistance exercises for the lower sport-specific position. Exercises 3 titions with correct exercise technique.
body are based on lunging, which is the and 4 mimic the core requirements The previous phases ensure anatomical
most common form of lower-body for both the forehand and backhand adaptations and the establishment of a
movement in squash. Multiple direc- strokes. strength base, enabling the progression
tions, various heights, and moving to increasingly demanding and specific
lunges all mimic the demands of squash Phase 3: Specific Training plyometric and resistance-training ex-
play. The upper-body exercises are based The purpose of this phase is to increase ercises.
on the squash stroke. The exercises have the specificity from the previous phase.
progressed in specificity, for example, Both the load and speed of execution On-court performance is the squash
chest press to fly and prone row to fly. remain the same as in the previous focus during this phase. Players are sub-

June 2005 • Strength and Conditioning Journal 35

 jected to increasingly demanding train- The resistance and plyometric exercises in • General warm-up: light jogging,
ing drills, with less time devoted to Table 4 mimic the movements and energy running drills, and the like.
other aspects of training. Resistance system requirements of high-intensity • Stretching: movement specific stretches.
training is reduced during this part of squash play. Exercise 1 involves heavy, re- • Plyometric exercises.
the training program. sisted, traveling lunges with trunk rota- • Squash training.
tion, followed by explosive lunges with • Cool down.
The plyometric exercises shown in Table 3 upward movement to practice getting out
reflect the shift toward a more specific pro- of the lunge position powerfully. Exercise For the second week of the maintenance
gram. For example, the exercises chosen 2 involves weighted lunges in multiple di- phase (i.e., the week following the tour-
reflect squash play with dynamic lunging rections followed by multidirectional, nament), there will be no resistance
and stopping in a lunge position. Single- single-leg cone hops. Exercise 3 involves training. Low-intensity, low-impact ac-
leg activity such as multidirectional jumps resisted upper-limb movements followed tivities that are generally away from the
and using the upper body explosively in a by ballistic drop-and-catch motions, sim- squash court are prescribed (e.g., mas-
challenging environment are included. ilar to the squash stroke. sage, cycling, swimming). This will
avoid any risk of overtraining complica-
The lunge variations in Table 3 to the re- The core conditioning exercises in Table tions from the recently increased work-
sistance exercises have become more 4 have remained the same as those in the load of tournament play.
specific (e.g., multidirectional and vary- previous phase. However, heavier loads
ing heights) and demanding (e.g., are assigned during this phase, enabling Yearly Program
weight above the head), requiring stabi- the exercises to become more demanding In-Season Squash Periodization Consid-
lization and strength to hold the various and for further overloading to occur. erations. The squash season in Australia
positions. The upper-body exercises are is played primarily from February
now performed using a single arm, in- Phase 5: Maintenance through to October. During this period,
creasing the specificity. It is recommended that resistance training players are very active in training, club
should cease 5 to 7 days before a major competitions, and tournament play.
Overall, the core conditioning exercises competition (6). This phase is periodized Also, depending on the level of the ath-
increase in technical demand and physi- to coincide with the week leading into a lete, overseas travel may be required for
cal requirements. The specificity has tournament and the week following; participation in tournaments in Europe,
also increased; for example, MB throws therefore, during this phase, limited resis- Asia, and North America.
from different heights. tance and plyometric exercises are pre-
scribed. The majority of training time will Covered in the following section is an ex-
Phase 4: Complex Training be spent on the squash court honing ample of a yearly periodized resistance-
The complex method is a combination match-play skills and on-court tactics. training program. At the beginning of
of heavy weight training and plyomet- Players could participate in a low-intensity each year, a player identifies a number of
rics. Complex training is suggested to be plyometric circuit; for example, a group of tournaments for which they wish to peak.
an effective way of developing transfer plyometric exercises conducted in the pre- This program is designed with the as-
between explosive exercises performed vious phases could be incorporated into sumption that the player has identified 4
in a weight-room setting and sports-spe- on-court training. This may maintain tournaments throughout the year. Tour-
cific performance (7). The exercises are muscular power and speed without requir- nament 1 is in the first weekend in March;
grouped together so lower-body resis- ing the athletes to undertake further resis- tournament 2, the first weekend in May;
tance and lower-body plyometric are tance training before a major tournament. tournament 3, the second weekend in Au-
performed together. Complex training However, it is suggested that caution be gust; and tournament 4, the third week-
should only be performed when a solid taken with the amount and type of exercis- end in September. The yearly program is
base of conditioning has occurred. es undertaken; for example, approximate- then broken into series of macrocyles,
ly 50–60 foot contacts should be per- which are outlined in Table 5.
During this phase, the squash focus is on formed, and single-leg exercises should be
the upcoming tournament. High-intensi- limited. Excessive plyometric exercises un- Macrocycle Details
ty training drills are prescribed to mimic dertaken in this phase could lead to post- General Preparation Stage. The aim of
the demands of the high-level match play, exercise soreness, which, in turn, could af- this phase is to develop base strength
with relativity low levels of volume incor- fect a player’s physical capacity. and conditioning levels. Emphasis will
porated to allow for adequate recovery. be on developing technique to allow for
Advanced drills and modified match play Training Structure. A typical training more specific exercises and conditioning
are used for on-court training. structure should follow these guidelines: to be undertaken later on. Volume, in-

36 June 2005 • Strength and Conditioning Journal

 Table 5
Overall Periodized Resistance-Training Plan

Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct

Macrocycle General Prep Prep 1 C Prep II C Prep III C Prep IV C

Resistance P1 P2 P3 P2+4 P5 P3 P2+4 P5 P2 P3 P2+4 P5 P2+4 P5 Off-

Phases season

Microcycle 1 2 3 4

Note: C = Competition; P = phase.

tensity, and exercise specificity will be to pursue low-impact and low-intensity to conduct high-intensity training that
gradually increased throughout this fitness activities generally unrelated to closely resembles game play, followed
phase to permit safe progression. squash (e.g., cycling, swimming, or by lower-intensity sessions that main-
golf ). This allows for recovery from the tain strength gains made in the previ-
Preparation I–VI. There will be a shift preceding season, providing a mental ous stages. Before and after the tourna-
towards sport-specific exercises and in- and physical break from the consider- ment, there is a 1-week maintenance
creasing the intensity of training. This able demands of training. phase the details for this are outlined in
will enable the sessions to mimic squash Phase 5.
tournament play. Periodization of the
Resistance-Training Program The emphasis of the second microcycle
Competition. The week of the competi- Dividing the resistance-training pro- is on maintaining the intensity of train-
tion will see a significantly diminished gram into 4 microcycles is to permit ing. Phase 3 is prescribed during the
workload, thus, reducing the risk of over- training in association with previously first 3-week block. This is followed by a
training and soreness. Therefore, in this identified tournaments. This is intended combination of Phase 2 and 4. The
stage, all focus is shifted towards game to maximize on-court performance by third microcycle allows strength bases
play. Tournaments are usually played carefully planning each stage to coincide to be rebuilt during 4 weeks of Phase 2.
throughout a 4-day period with up to 8 with the tournaments. Outlined below Following this, the intensity is gradual-
games possible during that time. The is each microcycle with the rationale and ly increased until the upcoming tour-
number of games, quality of opponents, purpose for the prescribed sessions. nament. During the final microcycle, a
intensity, and duration of play make combination of Phase 2 and 4 is pre-
these tournaments physically and men- The first microcycle is a building stage, scribed. It is assumed that a solid
tally demanding on the athletes. There- enabling a smooth transition into the strength base has been obtained
fore, the coach and the strength and con- increased demands of weight training. throughout the season, and this micro-
ditioning specialists must be sure the This phase is divided into two 8-week cycle allows the high intensity to be
athlete is prepared physically to permit blocks. The first 8 weeks have Phases 1 maintained throughout this period. An
optimal performance during this period. and 2 scheduled. The second block sees end-of-season transitional period ends
4 weeks of Phase 3, followed by 4 weeks the cycle.
Transition (In Season). During the week of a combination of Phase 2 and 4.
following the tournament, the player During this period, 2 training sessions Conclusion
will be assigned a lighter workload, with a week are prescribed, conducted on This program provides a practical ex-
activities distinct from squash generally Tuesdays and Thursdays. The Tuesday ample of how resistance training can be
prescribed. This will minimize any over- sessions involve Phase 4 (complex incorporated into a squash player’s
training complications from the recently training that includes a combination of training program. Exercises have been
increased workload of tournament play. high-intensity and specific plyometric selected and developed with considera-
and resistance exercises). The Thursday tion towards progression and specifici-
Transition (Off Season). At the end of the sessions involve Phase 2 (resistance and ty. Currently, a number of elite squash
year, the player will be assigned to a 4- to core exercises only, with no plyometric players have been prescribed similar
8-week transitional period (at the dis- component). This 2-day program programs, and thus far, the exercises
cretion of the coach and the athlete). breaks the week into power and and loading patterns have provided the
During this stage, the athlete is advised strength days. This permits the athlete athletes with a challenging, safe, and

June 2005 • Strength and Conditioning Journal 37

 practical program. Finally, it is hoped 10. Hawley, J., and L. Burke, eds. Peak 19. Wollstein, J. Squash Coaching (Level 2
that this article will provide the stimu- Performance: Training and Nutritional Manual). Brisbane, Australia: Aus-
lus for further inquiry into this previ- Strategies for Sport. St. Leonards, NSW: tralian Coaching Council, 1994. pp.
ously overlooked area of resistance Allen and Unwin, 1998. pp. 17–34. 1–15.
training. ♦ 11. Locke, S., D. Colquhoun, M. Briner, 20. Yarrow, P. Squash: Steps to Success.
L. Ellis, M. O’Brien, J. Wollstein, and Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics,
References G. Allen. Squash racquets: A review of 1997. pp. 129–134.
1. Behm, D.G. A kinesiological analysis physiology and medicine. Sports Med.
of the squash stroke. Strength Cond. 23(2):130–138. 1997.
9:4–16. 1987. 12. Newton, R.U., J. Jones, W.J. Kraemer,
2. Behm, D.G. Periodized resistance and H. Wardle. Strength and power
training for squash: The rationale. training of Australian Olympic swim-
Strength Cond. J. 14(3):24–27. 1990. mers. Strength Cond. J. 24(3):7–15.
3. Behm, D. G. A periodized resistance 2002.
training program for squash. Strength 13. Roetert, E., T. Ellenbecker, D. Chu,
Cond. J. 12(3):28–31. 1990. and B. Bugg. Tennis-specific shoulder
4. Behm, D.G. Plyometrics: Plyometric and trunk strength training. Strength
Training for Squash. Strength Cond. J. Cond. J. 19(3):31–43. 1997.
14(6):26–29. 1992. 14. Sales, P. Improve Your Squash Game: Bennie
5. Bompa, T. Periodization training for 101 Drills Coaching Tips and Resources.
sports. Champaign, IL: Human Kinet- Honolulu, HI: Disa Publications, Jason Bennie is an honors student in ex-
ics, 1996. p. 34. 1996. pp. 71–76. ercise physiology at Victoria University.
6. Bompa, T. Variations of periodization 15. Sergo, C., and Boatwright, D. Training
of strength. Strength Cond. J. 18:58– methods using weighted implements
61. 1999. and the effects of bat velocity. J.
7. Chu, D. Explosive Power and Strength: Strength Cond. Res. 7:115–117. 1993.
Complex Training for Maximum Re- 16. Walbutton, T. Chief Executive of the
sults. Champaign, IL: Human Kinet- World Squash Federation, personal
ics, 1996. p. 3. communication, December 2003.
8. Fleck, S.J., and W.J. Kraemer, Design- 17. Wathen, D. Exercise selection. In: Es-
ing Resistance Training Programs (2nd sentials of Strength Training and Condi-
ed.). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics, tioning (2nd ed.). T. Baechle, ed.
1997. pp. 83–115. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics,
9. Hawley, J. Training for enhancement 2000. pp. 416–423. Hrysomallis
of sports performance. In: Physiologi- 18. Wathen, D., and F. Roll. Training meth-
cal Basis of Sports Performance. M. Har- ods and modes. In: Essentials of Strength Con Hrysomallis is a lecturer in anatomy
greaves and J. Hawley, eds. North Training and Conditioning (2nd ed.). and resistance training. He is also involved
Ryde, NSW: McGraw Hill, 2003. pp. Baechle, T.R., ed. Champaign, IL: with the strength and conditioning of
125–145. Human Kinetics, 2000. pp. 403–415. professional Australian football players.

38 June 2005 • Strength and Conditioning Journal